Go knock on opportunity’s door

Moving from order-taking to order-making in this (and any) recession

Oh no, you’re saying to yourself. Another thinly veiled attempt to put a positive spin on our current financial crisis. This is anything but. What it is, instead, is a way to encourage you to see times of financial turmoil as an opportunity. A way of proactively bringing ideas and solutions to your clients and customers. A way of moving from order-taking to order-making.

As this recession continues, there are three approaches we’re seeing:

  1. Lay low. Keep your head down, hope to stay solvent.
  2. Business as usual. Hope that the same effort and output you gave during good times will suffice.
  3. Order-making. Be more aggressive; expect more of yourself and your people. Reach out to customers (instead of waiting for them to appear) and actually bring unsolicited ideas and solutions to your prospects and customer base.

The first two are order-taking positions. The third, obviously, is not. If you want to thrive instead of merely survive, the only viable answer is approach No. 3 (order-making), because you will be taking a larger share of market from the competition. And, if order-making is done correctly, you will be creating new markets, new prospects and new opportunities.

Consider this: There were more millionaires created during the Great Depression than at any other time in history. Today, it’s about showing more initiative, demanding more engagement, making tougher decisions and being willing to show vulnerability. An overall approach that is more aggressive can certainly make a difference.

There will be much change in this recession. Many businesses may fail, citing the historically tough times we face. But there is the opportunity for many businesses to thrive, too. There will be new ideas and breakthroughs that will take place because people will be willing to be vulnerable, to be hungry and to do the very things that were in the back of their minds for the last year or so.

Somewhere, 60-80 percent of all the sales and business that were taking place prior to our current economic hard times are still going to happen. Are you going to make this the most exciting time ever—or will you simply endure it, hoping to survive?

You have the answer.

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